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Examinations Carlow/Wexford Campuses
Examination Procedures and Rules

Rules Governing Written Examinations

Candidates are advised to familiarise themselves with the rules governing written examinations. Breaches in any of the published regulations will be considered under the University's examination policy on unfair practice  in formal examinations detailed in the following.

Appendix 1 Examination Rules – ADF System

Note – These Examination Rules apply to all examinations that are conducted on the Carlow, Wexford and Wicklow campuses.

  1. Registration each session, including payment of all registration fees due, also constitutes entry for the relevant examinations. However, entries by candidates who have not complied with all appropriate Academic Council and SETU requirements are regarded as provisional. Repeat candidates must enter for examinations and pay the appropriate fee.
  2. Examination candidates are required to acquaint themselves thoroughly with the Examination Rules.
  3. In order to qualify for admission to written and practical exams candidates are required to have covered the theory and practical programme provided by SETU.
  4. Candidates are required to be in attendance at the examination hall at least 15 minutes before the examinations commence.
  5. Candidates are responsible for making their own arrangements to ensure their timely attendance at the examination hall.
  6. A candidate will not be admitted to the examination in any paper after 30 minutes of the time for that paper has elapsed.  
  7. Examination halls will close 5 minutes before examination commencement time and candidates who arrive after this time shall not be admitted into the hall until the examination has commenced and staff authorise entry.
  8. Internal Examiners will not be available in Examination Halls during examinations.
  9. Students are required to present their SETU Identity Card in order to gain admission to Examination Halls or other appropriate documentation as approved by the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Teaching and Learning.
  1. A candidate is not authorised to leave the examination hall until the expiration of thirty minutes from the time at which the examination began.
  2. A candidate who leaves the examination hall at any time during the course of an examination in a particular paper without the Invigilators permission is not permitted to return during the further course of that examination. A candidate who has taken ill, may however, be permitted to leave the hall on handing their answer book to the Invigilator and may be re-admitted to the examination provided they have been in the care of the attendant during the entire period of their absence. The time lost by the candidate may be compensated for at the close of the examination period.
  3. A person who leaves the examination hall during the course of their examination shall have their examination script endorsed by the Invigilator.
  4. A candidate who completes their work during the examination shall remain seated until the Invigilator has collected their answer book(s) and shall not then leave the hall until the time appointed for the conclusion of the examination, unless permitted to do so by the Invigilator.
  1. Candidates are required to provide themselves with pens, pencils, rulers and similar materials as appropriate. Borrowing from other candidates is strictly forbidden.
  2. A candidate will occupy the place first assigned to them by the Invigilator unless otherwise directed during the entire examination.
  3. A candidate will raise their hand if they wish to attract the attention of the Invigilator during the examination.
  4. The candidate’s surname, forename, programme, class group, year, ID Number, name of lecturer, subject title, date, and candidates signature will be entered on all materials used.
  5. Any additional answer book, squared paper, etc. issued to a candidate whether used or unused, will be put inside their answer book before it is surrendered to the Invigilator.
  6. Candidates are required to follow the direction of the examination personnel at all times. Where any violation of the rules is observed or where any candidate’s behaviour is such as to jeopardise the successful running of the examination, the candidate concerned will be advised of the alleged violation and warned that their examination may be disallowed. On resuming behaviour appropriate to the examination setting, the candidate may be allowed to continue the examination. If the candidate, again engages in behaviour inappropriate to the exam setting during that examination, it will result in their expulsion.
  • A candidate:
  1. Shall not bring into the examination hall, or have in their possession, or under their control, or within their reach any book(s) notes or electronic storage and retrieval devices unless specified on their examination paper.

  2. Shall not have any writing on their person on entering the examination hall; neither shall a candidate write upon their person while in the examination hall.

     

  • A candidate shall not, while in the examination hall;
  1. Use, or attempt to use any book, memorandum, notes or paper, save the examination paper and such answer books etc. as shall have been supplied to them by the Invigilator.
  2. Aid or attempt to aid, another candidate.
  3. Obtain, or attempt to obtain, aid from another candidate.

  4. Communicate, or attempt to communicate, in any way, with another candidate.

     

  • A candidate:
  1. Shall not write on the examination materials supplied or any of the material brought into the examination hall other than the answer book supplied.
  2. Shall not take out, or attempt to take out, of the examination hall any answer books, whether used or unused.
  3. Candidates shall not bring into, have in their possession, or attempt to use a dictionary, in the examination hall.
  1. Candidates may not make any queries regarding the content of an examination paper for purposes other than elucidation, legibility or possible errors in printing.
  2. The candidate must address all queries to the Invigilator by raising their hand.
  1. Students with a disability who require additional examination support should refer to section 8.5 of the Academic Regulations for Taught Programmes 2024-2025 on ‘Reasonable accommodation in assessments for students with disabilities’ and must register with the Access Office.
  2. All other students who require additional examination support because of a temporary injury should refer to section 8.6 of the Academic Regulations for Taught Programmes 2024-2025 on ‘Accommodation in examinations for students with a temporary injury’.
  1. Students who are unable to take an examination or complete an assignment due to extenuating circumstances such as illness/bereavement should submit evidence of the circumstances in accordance with section 8.8 of the Academic Regulations for Taught Programmes 2024-2025 on ‘Mitigating circumstances’.  Such evidence may be taken into account by the Examination Board in assessing the performance of the individual student. However, it must be pointed out that under no circumstances may a student receive marks for an examination or assignment which they have not taken.
  1. A Chief Invigilator may, following consultation with the Examinations Officer request a candidate to leave the examination hall and forfeit their answer book for a breach of any of the Examination Rules or for unseemly behaviour.
  1. Please refer to Appendix 3, ‘Breach of Examination Rules Procedure’ which outlines how an allegation of a breach of examination rules is addressed.

Dr. Derek O'Byrne, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Registrar of SETU.

Academic Regulations for Taught Programmes

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Appendix 3 Breach of Examination

Note – This procedure applies to all University examinations, regardless of system or campus location.

  1. Where a breach of the examination rules is suspected, the Head/Manager of Academic Administration and Student Affairs (AA&SA) shall coordinate an investigation into the allegation by meeting with the student.
  2. The meeting with the student will be attended by the Head/Manager of Academic Administration and Student Affairs (AA&SA) and the Examinations Officer or designees. Any meetings with the student will take place on site.
  3. Where the AA&SA: a. is satisfied that no breach has occurred; the matter may be closed without further action and the student notified b. considers the breach to be technical in nature; can apply a formal warning c. has evidence that notes or other prohibited material has been taken into the exam hall or other breaches of examination rules have occurred, which could impact the student’s mark; an automatic penalty of zero will be applied to the exam component or the AA&SA has the authority to instead refer the matter in accordance with 6 below.
  4. The student will be advised in writing of the decision by the AA&SA.
  5. Where there is an impact on the mark for that subject, the student’s Faculty office will be informed by AA&SA.
  6. The AA&SA may, at their discretion, refer a matter to the Complaints Resolution Officer (CRO) under the Student Academic Misconduct Policy and Disciplinary Procedure through the completion of a complaint form. This may include, but is not limited to, if a breach of examination rules is deemed by the AA&SA to be of a serious nature or is found to be a recurrent breach by the student. If a matter is referred to the Student Academic Misconduct Policy and Disciplinary Procedure (‘the Policy’), it shall then be addressed in accordance with that Policy and the associated procedure.
  7. Where a student seeks to dispute the decision to apply an automatic penalty of zero to the exam component under 3c above, they must do this in writing to the AA&SA within five working days of having received written confirmation of the decision. The AA&SA will then refer the matter to the CRO under the Student Academic Misconduct Policy and Disciplinary Procedure through the completion of a complaint form.